Black Rose

Colouring in.

"I'm Jackson, what's your name?" He asked me.

"I'm Ophelia." I said, feeling defeated. He tilted his head a little, frowning.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded, and smiled, pasting on a brave face so as not to upset him. "Of course. I just... I wanted to go for a drive, that's all."

He frowned at me, glancing outside.

"Daddy doesn't keep the cars outside in the snow. They're in the garage."

A spark of hope lit up within me. "Of course they are, how silly of me. Could you show me where the garage is?"

He paused, staring at me for a moment, before frantically shaking his head. "Mummy and daddy told me I'm not allowed downstairs without them."

Downstairs? Was the garage downstairs? I bit my lip, and spoke in the gentlest voice I could muster.

"That's okay, you'll be with me, won't you?" I asked.

He stared at me for a moment before frowning and turning around.

"No," He said. "You'll get me in trouble."

I bit my lip to contain my frustration. "I promise you won't get in trouble, your mummy told me to go driving."

He shook his head firmly. "No she didn't! Stop lying!" He said, raising his voice.

My heart raced in my chest and I hurried to shush him, glancing up the stairs. But it was too late. The damage was done.

"Jackson?"

Gwen pushed open the door to the bedroom upstairs and looked down from the landing, raking a hand through her hair casually. She looked at ease, completely at home with the fact that I was upstairs, and that I was awake with her son, who was now pouting angrily at me. She yawned and began padding down the stairs, revealing her see-through silk dressing gown, and the lacy pieces she was wearing underneath. I looked away, setting my jaw. She didn't seem to notice my discomfort, and began talking, as if this were a completely average morning.

"I'm sorry I slept so late, I was planning on getting up early to make pancakes."

"Pancakes!" Jackson squealed, beaming with excitement, all previous worries evaporated.

Gwen chuckled. "Yes, pancakes my baby boy. Do you want to help mummy?"

Jackson nodded enthusiastically and Gwen looked at me, smiling. When her eyes met mine, her smile faltered for a moment. She looked down, taking in the furry coat hanging over my arm. She frowned, and stepped toward me, glancing back up at my face.

"Why are you holding my fendi coat?" She asked.

I glanced down at it and shrugged. "It looked like the warmest and least-expensive option to flee in."

She snorted. Well that wasn't how I thought she would respond, given she hit me over the head with a lamp for trying to escape less than a week ago.

She saw my shocked face and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, it's just hilarious that you thought you grabbed the least expensive option. I mean... Ophelia, how much do you think that coat costs?"

"Maybe seventy? Or eighty dollars?" I said, feeling peeved. She gave me an incredulous look. "I don't know, it's a nice coat, I didn't mean to offend you or something–"